The Mount Diablo Guide

Mount Diablo in Contra Costa County is one of California's most popular state parks, drawing over 700,000 visitors a year, and it has remained a natural oasis in a region of rapid development and population growth. Visitors are attracted to the park's outstanding hiking, biking, and bridal trails, and come to see one of the most panoramic views on Earth, second only to Mt Kilimanjaro. The park also has one of the Bay Area's most diverse populations of plants and wildlife and is renowned for its wildflowers in the spring. This guidebook tells people everything they need to get the most from the park, including chapters on the foot trails (organized into easy, moderate, and difficult hikes) and illustrations and descriptions of Diablo's trees and wildflowers. The great range of wild animals on the mountain is also covered, from mountain lions to tarantulas. The famous view, which takes in everything from the Pacific's Farallon Islands to Half Dome in Yosemite, and the geology of the mountain are given in-depth treatment. Practical information on campgrounds and overnight facilities is also provided. This significantly expanded edition is authored by the acknowledged experts of The Mount Diablo Interpretive Association.